The Mist in the Forest
by munie munie
Summary: Zabuza and Haku take over the Water country. Haku is no use to Zabuza anymore, so he turns to the one place left to go. Konoha.
1. Freedom

Hm. First fanfic ever. Though I love to read them, myself. XD

I know there'll be some OOCness, that can't be helped.

Warnings and Copyrights: I don't own Naruto. I only wish. As of my knowledge, there is only one pairing implied here. I'm going with my gut and totally improvising everything.

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Uptop from the hill, the Water country loomed below their feet. A wind swept by then, the rustling of leaves and gentle grass swaying comforted their souls as they watched from their post. The people across the land were already gossiping and chatting away about the missing nins.

As far as Zabuza could tell, anyway.

Zabuza and Haku had, with their bare hands, taken down the Mizukage and his subordinates with minimal difficulty. Except that the fact was, that old Mizukage didn't want to die. It's amazing what you can do with the sheer desire of survival at your disposal.

"Haku." The boy turned his gaze over to his master. Zabuza and Haku fought well the last week, the efforts showing on their torn and bloody clothes, Zabuza's bandages in disarray. The wounds would eventually leave scars that would be marks of their triumph, Haku pondered thoughtfully. He held wounds of his own though not serious.

"We did it, Haku." For the first time since Haku could remember, Zabuza carried a proud smile on his face. It was a strange look for him somewhat, but the thought of it warmed Haku's heart. Zabuza wasn't the only proud one. Standing by his master Haku watched as Zabuza slowly looked up towards the heavens, the sun gracing his face. Zabuza finally looked relieved and relaxed, shoulders no longer tense. Yes, Haku was proud. He smiled as he too, looked up at the heavens.

"Yes, Zabuza-san. We did it." It was all they needed to say to each other. They knew what they had done, what they had accomplished. It was their life goal. And it was now finally complete. Zabuza had his country. And Haku had aided him as much as it was possible. But it left a question unanswered. Haku's duty was now complete. He was no longer needed. What would become of the boy?

"Haku. You're free, now." The boy's eyes turned to him and blinked. His heart felt heavy. "You're free. You can do as you like." Zabuza turned and walked back down the hill. Haku stood there and watched his master- no, Zabuza-san - as he walked out of his life into the distance.

He was no longer needed now. Where was he to go?

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With a sullen mind and saddened heart, Haku stumbled and fell into the gates of Konoha's village.

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Heh. Go me. Please Read and Review, it'll get my spark going. Any comments and suggestions welcomed.


	2. White Room Gathering

Back again for another chapter. Go me!

This is an AU Alternate Universe. So not everything is exactly the same. Haku is alive, Zabuza rules over the Water country now. Fun stuff.

Warnings and Copyrights: I don't own Naruto. I only wish. I'm going with my gut and totally improvising everything.

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The sound of birds chirping nearby told him that he was still alive. Haku felt warm, and slightly trapped. He could feel that there was light wherever he was at, the warmth splashing across his face.

"You're looking much better now, Haku." A woman's voice said in relieved sort of way. Haku cracked his eyes open and looked to his right. A woman dressed in white sat in a chair. Haku took a moment to register what was going on before snapping up to a sitting position.

He gave the woman an odd look. Haku was in a bed, tucked in so tightly that if there was a fire, he was sure there would be no escape. The room he was in was bare except for the bed, a small table at the opposite wall and some chairs. Though there were three or four rooms, Haku enjoyed the light.

"You can come in, now! He's fine!" The woman called back to the door behind her. As if on cue, a blonde boy slammed the door open hard enough to impale the doorknob to the wall and rushed in. Within a second's notice he was spewing all sorts of questions at Haku.

"Haku! Are you okay! What happened to you! Did you walk all the way here? Are you hungry? I brought ramen, are you gonna have it?" Sakura and Sasuke followed the ball of energy into the room casually. Sakura wore a worried expression on her face as she entered the room but it quickly turned to aggrivation. Sasuke just stood there, calm as can be.

"Naruto!" Smack! A punch to his skull. "Leave him alone! He just woke up!"

"But Sakura-chan!" Sprawled on the floor between the bed and the nurse. The nurse stood up from where she sat, muttered something about coming back later and left the room with a chuckle.

Haku smiled softly at the three of them and veered his eyes over to Sasuke, the safest of the three to ask.

"What happened?" Sasuke responded calmly, his hands in his shorts' pockets. He moved aside, away from Sakura and Naruto for the time being.

"You were passed out at the front gates earlier." Naruto stood up and searched about the room for a bowl to eat his ramen in. Sakura quickly focused on Haku and Sasuke, calm and with a slight look of worry in her face once again.

"I see... You found me then, Sasuke?" Sasuke shook his head. Before Naruto could see that Sasuke would take the credit of finding their friend, which he wasn't going to in the first place, Naruto suddenly dashed to the side of Haku's bed again with ramen in his mouth.

"Nuh! I fown you." Slirpslirp.

"You did?" Haku looked surprised for a moment then smiles warmly at Naruto. Haku didn't mean to play favorites, but he liked Naruto out of the three the most. "I see. Thank you, Naruto-kun." Haku half bowed as he sat there in the bed.

"Nu prolem!" Naruto grinned and rubbed the back of his head in shied triumph and pride. Sakura nodded.

"Naruto freaked out when he found you. He was lucky we were around to call over the medic-nins." Naruto half glared and half choked on his ramen. He swallowed what was choking him. Haku laughed softly though he was very appreciative of their guestures.

"Thank you so much. Really. I'm relieved that the three of you haven't forgotten about me..." Haku looked down at his hands.

"Hey, Haku, don't worry about it! We're glad to have you around! If you're gonna stay for a while, we can train together! Yeah!" You could see that Naruto had that energetic flare back in his eyes.

"We wouldn't forget about you, Haku." Sakura added sincerely.

"What happened to you, Haku?" Sasuke inquired curiously at the Mist shinobi.

"Well-" Before Haku could respond, three ninja poofed into the room in their stealthy fashion of theirs. Gai, Kakashi and Anko, respectively. The four young ninja looked surprised as the adults stood by the opposite side of the bed and looked down at Haku.

"Oi, oi. We got things to talk to this kid about." Anko answered everyone's silent question. Kakashi nodded.

"Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke. Lee's outside, go see him." Kakashi said in his lazy but serious voice of his.

"Hmhm!" Gai laughed proudly. "That's right! Go meet with Lee! Perhaps even challenge my great pupil!" You could see that the fires of youth were making Gai-sensei proud again. Team seven left before Gai could have a chance to work himself up, Naruto taking some of Haku's uneaten foods with him. Kakashi made sure the students were well away from the room before he began.

"Now, Haku. Concerning the Water country..." Haku's face darkened. He once again became the dark tool Zabuza wished him to be.

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Thank you for the reviews! They've made me so happy! Here you are, the second chapter! I wanted to post it up earlier but I felt I was horribly out of character.. (sighs and worries) Please tell me what you think?


	3. Valentine's Special

Valentine's Special! Yeah! 

This has pretty much nothing to do with the story so far. XD

Keep in mind, I don't own Naruto and that this is a AU fanfic. ALTERNATE FANFICTION. Say it with me. Al-ter-nate. Fan-fic-tion.

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MunieMunie: Hey guys. I'm Munie Munie, the author of this fanfic. As a tribute to this bizzare yet.. How do I say, exciting? Holiday, I thought I'd invite some guests over and ask about their views on the fanfic and on love. The guests are - (Akamaru approaches my chair with an envelope in his mouth. I take it) Ah. Here we go. The guests today are Haku, Naruto, Sasuke and Sakura. No spoilers for the fic yet. Go me.

(the four students enter and sits on my couch)

MunieMunie: Hey guys. How do you like the fanfic so far? Think it's spiffy, yeah?

Sakura: Sasuke didn't say much in the last chapter. (Sakura scoffed, crossing her arms against her chest)

Sasuke: Naruto ate too much.

Naruto: Tch. You made Kakashi too cool. And you made HIM too cool. (points at Sasuke, with a grumpy, irritated face)

Sasuke: (sighs)

Sakura: (looks as if she wants to bite Naruto's hand off)

MunieMunie: Uh.. Besides that. Haku. How do you like your role in the story?

Haku: (ponders that for a moment) I'm glad I'm alive in this version. (he laughed)

MunieMunie: What do you guys feel about AUs?

Haku/Sakura/Sasuke/Naruto: AU?

MunieMunie: I guess that doesn't concern you guys much. What about love? Who are your love interests?

Naruto: (stands up proudly) I'd die for Sakura-chan!

Sakura: (makes a spiteful face)

Sasuke: ...

MunieMunie: Sasuke? What about you?

Sasuke: I have no love interest. That doesn't concern me.

MunieMunie: Haku?

Haku: Ah... (blushes gently) I'd rather not say. I'm being paid to keep from spoiling the fanfic.

MunieMunie: And what about you, Sakura? You look a bit irritated.

Sakura: Me? Tch. (glares at Naruto) The only person I like at all is -

(the wall behind me practically explodes as an energetic Rock Lee steps into the room)

Rock Lee: Sakura-chan! I love you with all my heart! (he blows kisses at her)

Sakura: AHH! (grabs Naruto and pulls him into the way of the menacing kisses of death)

Naruto: (instantly stunned, falls to the floor. Sakura continues to use him as a human shield)

Rock Lee: Farewell, Sakura-chan! (gives everyone a thumbs up as he smiles, his teeth gleaming. he runs back out of the broken wall)

Haku: ... (shocked)

MunieMunie: Um... So. I guess our time is running out, pretty much. You have any last words?

Haku: I can't wait for the next chapter.

Sasuke: Keep reading. She might not be the greatest of authors, but she can make a mean quesadilla.

Sakura: Is he gone? (tosses Naruto off)

MunieMunie: I have a few words to add, too. This is an Alternate Universe Fanfic. Meaning I can have absolutely nothing be the same if I felt like it. Also, I don't mean to potray the characters wrongly, if I do so. I just play them out as I see they would. With that, have a wonderful Valentine's Day!

(everyone claps. and somewhere in the world, candy hearts are used to write on chalkboards)

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I know this had NOTHING to do with the story. I felt, like the show, I should have specials. So why not have a Valentine's Day one? I hope you liked it. A real chapter will be coming soon.

Don't bother me about anything that's wrong about the plot concerning Zabuza. I know what I'm doing.

Chris, Bon, Cookie, Furre, Hobs, Icia, Jeanie, Minteh, Rai, Soji, Trent, Tylor and especially JD and any others, this is my Valentine's gift to you.


	4. Sunflower Sunset

Thanks for all the reviews, they really keep me inspired! So, here's the real next chapter.

Warnings: I don't own Naruto. This is an AU fanfic, Alternate Universe fanfic.

Meaning?

I can make Kakashi as a girl and have him dance in a yellow bikini for a Konoha beauty contest if I wanted.

Notes:  
1) Zabuza and Haku never died, Zabuza rules over the Water country now. No matter how impossible that seems.  
2) The Chuunin exams don't exist in my book, so if the students met each other, it was by other means.  
3) Still confused? It'll be explained in-story.

Gambatte.

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The day started out cloudy from what he could tell but it wasn't to last. At first he was a bit pleased and even inspired as his sensei told him they were to make a visit to team seven.

But Hyuuga Neji quickly learned to regret trusting in Gai-sensei.

Instead of meeting team seven, he spent a great deal of the morning with Tenten, shopping.

Not one of his favorite hobbies, of course.

"Oi, Neji! Hurry up! They're selling flowers in this shop!" Tenten dashed into a small shop out of Neji's view. Neji sighed some as he shifted, adjusting the many boxes in his arms. He trudged onward into the store.

"Irasshai (1)! Please take a look at what you like!" From what he could see as he shuffled the boxes in his grasp, a blonde girl no older than him greeted Tenten and himself. The blonde girl went back to discussing some flower or other with a shy dark haired girl.

"B-but.. This flower just seems more appropriate.." The shy girl tried to make her point.

"Eh? What do you know? This one here is for beauty-" But the blonde quickly gave her own. Everyone has an opinion.

Neji set the boxes down in a corner as he noticed Tenten jumping into the conversation soon after. This would take a while, he realized as he leaned against the wall. Neji only sighed once more, aggrivated that Lee wasn't around to share in the pain called Shopping.

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"Yo! Lee!" Naruto was the first to come into Rock Lee's view. The blonde boy slid to a stop a feet or two by Lee. Sakura stood next to Naruto and smiled some. It was more of a reaction than Sasuke, who nodded in recognition. Lee left the poor defenseless tree next to him alone, it wouldn't have to stand the abuse of Lee's kicks and punches now that team seven arrived.

"Naruto! Sasuke! Sakura-chan!" He grinned a nice toothy grin so the sun could gleam. "How are you all? Gai-sensei said we'd be heading here to meet up with you, but he didn't tell me about stopping at a hospital.. I thought something ill happened to you, Sakura-chan! So I brought you a daffodil (2)!" He held out a flower to Sakura, who seemed more than surprised.

"Ah.. L-lee-san.. I'm fine.." She gently took the flower and nodded. "Arigatou. (3)"

"Oi, Lee! Leeeee! Lee-lee-lee! Let's fight!" Naruto had his fists held up. Rock Lee turned his attention to the energetic Naruto.

"Eh? Right now, Naruto?" He blinked.

"Yeah! Right now! It's been a while, right! Let's fight!"

"You're right! It _has _been a while! Alright, let's go!" The burning fires of youth engulfed their eyes as they got into position.

"Oi. Where did you dump that ramen bowl, Naruto?" Sasuke blinked, the bowl from Naruto's hands suddenly gone.

"Burning fires of youth, my butt! Baka (4)! Show respect, we're right in front of a hospital!"

"No really... It's completely gone." Sasuke turned his head left and right, scanning for the disappeared ramen bowl. Lee blinked and dropped his fists.

"Hai, Sakura-chan. She's right, Naruto. We'll hold it some other time!" He held out his thumb in a sort of 'Yes!' and 'Approved!' fashion. Naruto crossed his arms and pouted some, nodding.

"At least they stopped on their own. Not like the time they met." Sasuke added. Sakura nodded and the four of them stood there as they recalled their meeting.

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Training with Kakashi-sensei months back, one dark night. It was more of Kakashi's survival training, this one lasting a week. Kakashi had assured them that in a real mission they would sometimes be without water and food on them for even months.

Naruto could not wait months to eat again.

Upon smelling cooked fish in the air, his spirits rose.

"Oi! Everyone! There's food!" Naruto dashed into some bushes and trees before Sakura and Sasuke knew what happened. The two stood by in the bushes as they saw a battle begin between Naruto and a fuzzy-eyebrowed boy around a fireplace.

Outnumbered, Naruto screamed for life as he ran back towards Sakura and Sasuke, kunai flying at them.

It was soon revealed to the four by the fireplace, including the fuzzy-eyebrowed boy by Kakashi lounging in the trees that Naruto didn't intend on fighting them, but to snatch their fish.

After all apologizes and embarrassment over with, Kakashi called the training a night and the two teams laughed about the event around the fire and enjoyed fish in their bellies for the night.

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"Thank goodness, too. Naruto would've died for fish." Sakura dropped her head. Naruto and Lee laughed.

"At least it was good fish, Sakura-chan. And it made for a fun story to tell. Not only that but we all met." Lee smiled. Sasuke had to agree.

"Speaking of meeting, where is Hyuuga Neji and Tenten?" Lee thought about it for a moment. Sakura blinked at Sasuke, curious a bit. Naruto nodded enthusiastically, he wanted to challenge Neji as well.

"Neji and Tenten? I think Tenten said something about buying new clothes, so she must've dragged Neji along." He laughed. "For once it's not me. I'm glad."

"Oi, oi! But Gai was in Haku's room with Kakashi-sensei and that crazy woman!" Rock Lee's expression grew almost fearful at the mention of Haku's name. Sakura worried for the expression on Lee's face. Sasuke showed no change.

"Did you say Haku? He's in Konoha?" He was stunned. Naruto leaned over close to Lee and gave him a stubborn look.

"Yeah. I did. Haku. What about him?" Lee regained his senses.

"If that's the same Haku I'm thinking of, then Hokage-sama and the rest of Konoha is in danger!"

"Ehh? What the hell are you talking about, Lee? Haku wouldn't do anything to us!" Naruto leaned back and crossed his arms as he laughed. Sakura frowned.

"What do you mean, Lee-san?"

"What I mean is..." Rock Lee looked up at Konoha's hospital and pointed. "If the same Haku you speak of was working with Momochi Zabuza, then the both of them are responsible for Mizukage-sama's death."

Naruto froze, his blood running cold. He tried to speak, say just anything, but his body wouldn't react. Sakura gasped and her flower fell from her hands to the ground. Sasuke stood in place with his eyes widened with shock- or was it fear?

"Could... That boy have been responsible for Mizukage-sama's death...?" Sasuke whispered to himself quietly as he stared at the ground.

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"It's better if you say what you want now, Haku." Kakashi said leasurely as he dropped back onto a chair. "You won't be allowed to leave for a while. ANBU are all around us at the moment." Haku didn't care. He continued to stare down at the hands in his lap, unmoved.

"Haku, is it? The Water country's people are in terror. The ANBU and Jounin are on high alert to protect Hokage-sama at the cost of their own lives. You won't escape alive if you attempt to kill Hokage-sama." Anko said almost just as leasurely as Kakashi, sitting down on a side of Haku's bed.

"I have no intention of killing the Hokage." Haku answered quietly.

"Then why come to Konoha?" Gai stood by the hospital room's window with his arm folded across his chest.

"I wanted to be safe. To have a fresh start."

"Safe?" Anko laughed. "You should've stayed at the Water country, then. As of right now, you're a threat to Konoha until you prove otherwise. Here you'll be kept an eye on by every ANBU and Jounin across the land."

"I just want to have a fresh start." Haku repeated.

"What do you mean by that, Haku?" Kakashi sat up and looked at Haku now. Not as an interrogator to a suspect, but as a friend to another friend. Haku looked up at Kakashi with eyes full of sincerety and gentleness.

"I... I never had a chance to grow up around kids my age. I never had real friends. I want to be... Normal, Kakashi." Haku gripped the sheets at his lap slightly. You could tell, under Kakashi's mask, that he was smiling.

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It was sunset, several hours after the four met outside of the hospital. Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke and Lee watched as the hospital doors finally opened. Out stepped Haku followed by the three Jounin instructors and a handful of ANBU. Haku, although under such tight security, smiled.

"Hakuuuuuu!" Naruto launched himself at the fragile looking boy, knocking Haku and the rest of the people behind him to the ground. "What the hell is going on! What did you do!" Naruto's attention flashed to Kakashi. "What are you going to do to him! Don't hurt Haku!"

"N-Naruto!" Sakura stood dumbfounded before running towards them.

"I know he did something bad but you can't hurt him! He's a good guy, Kakashi-sensei! You can't! You can't do anything to hurt Haku!" Naruto looked enraged- or was it that he was on the brink of tears? Kakashi laughed and put a hand to Naruto's head, ruffling his blonde hair.

"Calm down, Naruto. It'll be okay. He'll be going under some review is all." Naruto blinked, obviously confused. Anko clarified.

"Haku agreed to meet with Hokage-sama and the rest of the Jounin and instructors. There, his fate will be determined." Sakura and Sasuke sighed with relief.

"But.. He killed-"

"We'll discuss that later, Sakura." Kakashi turned and left with the other Jounin. Haku stood up and looked upon the four ninja and smiled, the ANBU still around him.

"There's no reason to worry about me. Or the Water country." He smiled. "Zabuza-san... I have faith in him." Haku turned and followed the others, the ANBU still at his tail. The four of them stood there speechless as they watched him go.

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"Get away from me, Tenten! I'm allergic to sunflowers!" Tenten had Neji running all around the shop, tripping over things as he ran for his life.

"Ne, how can that be? You've eaten sunflower seeds before!"

"The hell I have!" Ino laughed as she placed Tenten's money in the cash register and went back to help Hinata with her flowers.

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1) Irasshai means Welcome  
2) Daffodil - **SPOILER** - Sakura gave daffodils to Rock Lee in season three when he was hospitalized.  
3) Arigatou means Thank You  
4) Baka means Idiot or Stupid

What a great chapter, eh? Hehe. Hope you liked it!


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